What Are the Important Steps of Writing a Popular STM Book?

Nova Science Publishers Review
4 min readAug 2, 2021

For years, Nova Science Publishers, Inc. has remained one of the world’s leading STM (Scientific, Technical, and Medical) publishers. There are many factors that impact its success. To continue to produce printed and electronic books, conference proceedings, journals, handbooks, edited collections, encyclopedias, and series collections, Nova Science Publishers and other STM publishers need to maintain a keen understanding of what publications will be valuable to its specific niche of readers. Nova Science Publishers includes below the several steps involved that writers will need to take to write a popular and successful STM book. Please see here for Nova Science Publishers review tips that authors can utilize to create a truly valuable piece.

Choose the Right Topic

One of the most important steps for writing a popular and valuable STM book is choosing a great topic. Typically, we produce our best work when we are contributing to projects that we are knowledgeable of and have a profound interest in. Some experts recommend asking oneself two crucial questions when evaluating if a topic is best for your book. One is “why is it important that my book is published now?”. The other is “why am I the right person to write it?”. These questions are important because they help a writer evaluate why they should devote time to the project, helping them compartmentalize how a book on their proposed topic will be valuable to the greater scientific community.

Consider if You Need an Agent

Publishing a popular STM book can be done through self-publishing, a commercial publisher, or an academic press. Naturally, there are going to be pros and cons of each option, and a writer and their team will want to evaluate each carefully to make the best decision possible for their project. For those who want to reach big league publishers, an agent will likely be needed to move further along with the process. Agents are valuable to teams working on projects for publication for several reasons. Agents can help you develop and further edit your proposal, refine ideas, build a platform, and assist with navigating publishing contracts. Many writers are not fully aware of the scope of publishing, especially with complexities such as foreign publishing, and it may be fruitful to bring on a professional that can cover any weaknesses or obstacles along the way.

A literary agent is often a necessity if you are going to do business with big name publishers

Craft an Excellent Proposal

Many nonfiction books begin their journey to publishing in the form of a proposal. Proposals outline what the book will cover, as well as additional information such as your qualifications for working on the project and the competition. Proposals may also include a chapter headings, synopses, and a submission of a sample chapter that will give publishers a clear idea of the writing style and theory utilized by the author. Assistance from a professional such as an agent can help an author get their proposal to a level that is acceptable by publishing leaders. Throughout the proposal phase, it is important that authors keep a clear vision of what the book is that they are trying to create and why it will be a valuable resource to the scientific community. You don’t want to add so many things during the proposal phase that you limit your ability to act as a qualified authority for the information within.

Decide Which Publication House to Partner With

After you have crafted a proposal and have secured assistance for the publishing process, it will be time to pitch to a reputable publisher to determine if your book is a good fit for their roster. In the present, authors have many different choices for publishers, with bigger names, small to mid-sized publishing houses, and even self-publication through platforms standing out as great ways to get a book out there. Remember that the average author will receive their fair share of rejections when pitching to publishers to find a partner that will contribute to their book’s success. Before long, however, you may find that an editor is interested in making plans to potentially publish your book. When possible, always shoot for a reputed publication house that is known for publishing work of similar scope to your own. During this phase you will likely be in conversations regarding royalties and payment. While you may be rightfully excited to move quickly to get your book published, try to make choices that will best suit your project and stay in tune with guidance from your representation.

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